Profile of Devon Ashby

Articles written for the California Literary Review:

Two montages in one episode, guys! This one is set, adorably, to “Crystal Blue Persuasion” by Tommy James and the Shondells, which I can’t believe has never been used on this show before, because yeah, wow. Todd and Walt cook blue crystal, Lydia pencils out the logistics of shipping and transport for the international sales, and a phalanx of nameless, faceless heavies drop bags of meth into oil barrels, which they then seal and tag to ship. Skyler and Saul Goodman both make their first (and in Saul’s case, tragically, last) appearances of the episode, cooking books at the car wash and furtively accepting fistfuls of ill-gotten cash, respectively. The montage’s final shot is a sweeping pan over the residential neighborhoods of Albuquerque, with yellow-and-green striped tents tranquilly fading in, one after another, blanketing a succession of roofs.

Mike’s murder isn’t just scary because it’s pointless, it’s upsetting because it’s not in Walt’s own best interest – it was a purely impulsive act, precipitated by nothing but momentary humiliation and rage.

Back at the pest control garage, Mike is in for a nasty shock – the methylamine has been cleared out completely. Mike storms into the back of the shop and discovers Walt and Jesse speaking in hushed tones in the office. Mike shoves his gun in Walter’s face and starts demanding to know where the methylamine supply is.

“You agree to that, and I will be whatever kind of partner you want me to be.” As Walt gets up to leave, Skyler notices the dirt on his hands. “Out burying bodies?” she quips sarcastically. “Robbing a train,” Walt fires back.

Finally Skyler caves, admitting she doesn’t have a good plan to get the kids away from Walt, and that all she can really do is wait. Walt asks for what, and Skyler whispers, “For the cancer to come back.”

Walt began the series as a misunderstood protagonist caught up in the glamour and adrenaline rush of covert, self-destructive law breaking, and has transformed over the course of four seasons into a person fueled by something far more blind, hopeless and methodical.

Land artists were critical of the sanitizing effects of situating artwork in a gallery, and Fluxus art generally was concerned with de-commodifying art in order to make it more accessible and less commercial by emphasizing process, participation, spontaneity, inclusiveness, and ambiguity.